El Al to Begin Direct Flights Between Israel and Warsaw

June 20, 1988

NEW YORK (Jun. 19)

A scheduled non-stop weekly flight from Tel Aviv to Warsaw will begin on June 21 by El Al Israel Airlines, it was announced here Friday.

According to El Al spokeswoman Aviva Lavi, these are the first-ever scheduled El Al flights to Warsaw. The weekly flight will leave Ben-Gurion Airport for Warsaw every Tuesday and will return the same day.

The length of the flight is three hours and 40 minutes each way, and the fare is $363 round trip.

Poland is the second East European country to get scheduled flights by El Al. The other country is Romania, the only East European country that did not break diplomatic ties with Israel after the 1967 Six-Day War. El Al is currently flying three times a week to Bucharest, the Romanian capital.

Poland does not have diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, but last year the two countries opened low-level offices in each other’s countries.

The beginning of El Al flights to Warsaw is seen as part of the improvement of ties between the two countries.

David Shein, general manager for El Al, said, “We are pleased to announce this new service to Poland, Particularly now during the 45th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. More people than ever before will get the chance to explore their Eastern European roots and heritage.”

According to diplomatic sources, El Al is currently negotiating with the government of Yugoslavia to begin scheduled El Al flights from Israel. If the negotiations are successful, flights from Tel Aviv to Belgrade will begin next winter.